Product Description

Details

An ultralight Darien Jacket and Pants would make a great urban riding tool (...we said to ourselves). So we build them just this way, using a tough, HT200D Nylon GORE-TEX® fabric. This lightweight Cordura-like material is far tougher than ordinary nylon fabrics of similar weight offer about a third less abrasion resistance than the regular Darien's stiffer 500D Cordura fabric.

On the other hand this lighter weight version provides so much more ease and comfort it's better for many kinds of rugged outdoor activities beyond motorcycle riding.

The Darien Light really comes into its own for commuting and general riding, especially in atrocious weather where it will flat-out work better than whatever you now wear.

The unlined Darien Light Jacket and Pants wear dryer and comfortably across a wide temperature range. Its many integrated features have been rider-proven to work better on all kinds of rides in all kinds of weathers.

The Jacket is a lightweight yet hard-as-nails protective system for your upper body that lets you ride in safety and comfort, regardless of harsh conditions. It's light, tough, simple, and practical because that's what works best.

A Darien Light jacket also accommodates a range of optional removable TLTec fleece liners that fit perfectly inside it's breathable/waterproof shell. These liner's vent zippers line up perfectly and fit, feel and work like they were made for a Darien. Which they were.

The optional liners are worn separately beneath an outer Darien Light Jacket they are also perfect alone on cool days for off-the-bike wear. They fold into their own compact zippered pocket and can be attached to your bike or worn on a belt like a fanny pack. With new construction, an optional zip-in liner zipper (#375) is available at no charge.

A Note on New Sizing

Do you have an older Darien Jacket and are ready for a new one? Continual product refinements and incremental updates have also brought size adjustments over the years. This chart shows the current sizes compared to Darien Jacket sizing from garments produced prior to 2013. For any sizing questions contact Customer Care at 800.222.1994

Darien Jacket Size

36

38

40

42

44

46

48

50

52

54

56

2008-2013 Darien Sizing

36

38

40

42

44

46

48

50

52

54

Alpha Numeric Darien

Small

Medium

Large

XLarge

XX Large

Hassle Free Sizing Exchange

If you happen to need a different size, return the suit and we'll ship out a replacement free of charge (applies to domestic ground shipments only).

Various alterations are available for the DarienLight Jacket to get that custom fit you expect from an all-purpose jacket.

Additional Information

Additional Information

More Info

IMPORTANT PACEMAKER NOTICE:

PACEMAKER AND IMPLANTABLE CARDIOVERTER DEFIBRILLATOR (ICD) USERS

---- REMOVE COLLAR-OPEN MAGNETS BEFORE WEARING GARMENT ----

There are four rare earth magnets to remove:

One (about the size of a quarter), inside the jacket on each side of the upper chest/collar,

One (about the size of a dime) at each end of the collar - removable from a small pocket with a hook and loop closure.

Customer Reviews (37)

Had my Darien light for about 5 years,hands down the best quality riding gear made. The only thing better is the customer service provided by Aerostich !! This jacket can be repaired vs being replaced ,it's held up well and has years of quality life left still !! Thank you Aerostich for quality made in USA products and the outstanding service you provide. (Posted on 10/21/17)

Aerostich Customer ServiceReview by customerservice

Some customers experienced long waits during the summer of 2016 for reasons which were due to unanticipated problems with the fabric vendor, which have been addressed, and most Darien orders are again being shipped from stock inventory, as has previously always been the normal practice. (Posted on 11/29/16)

I wanted to hate this jacket ....Review by Rabid Rover

I ordered this jacket July 14 with the expectation I would have it for a motorcycle trip at the end of August. I received the jacket the second week of October. I was not advised until AFTER I ordered the jacket it would be 10 weeks until I received it. I phoned before I left on my trip to see if they had another jacket in a different color to replace it and was told no. I than went on my trip with my old jacket and was drenched in 6 hours of basically driving through a cold car wash like weather. I spent 2 days recovering cursing this jacket. I than rode on the same trip to Aerostitch and found this jacket on the rack! Cursed this jacket even more. Received the jacket a month later ... rode one day with it ... gawd I love this jacket. I want to hate it but it is simply amazing. Best jacket I have owned. (Posted on 10/16/16)

AwesomeReview by Louis

This jacket is awesome. I rode with this and my ADR1 pants in torrential rain for an entire morning late last fall here in New England. I remained completely dry. With the Kanetsu heated liner I also remained wonderfully warm. (Posted on 2/18/15)

Hi-Viz for All!Review by Chuck

Looking for greater flexibility in warmer weather, and requiring Hi-Viz since I work on a military base I had few options for my tall frame. I opted for the Darien Light in Hi-Viz Yellow. The picture on the web site doesn't do justice to the yellow, appearing more mustard, but the jacket is without question YELLOW! Since I am 6'-3" and have long arms, I started with a size 48 and had the sleeves lengthened several inches below the elbow. The features of the jacket that set it apart from others is the advantages of having an unlined gore-tex shell. I have plenty of mid-layers that I don't need more to come with a jacket (unlike most competitors). The DarienLight has great serious adjustability not found in most other jackets. I particularly like the waistband adjustment, the gigantic pit zips, the magnetic collar closure, and the two-way heavy-duty zipper. I'm amazed how many motorcycle jackets don't have a two-way zipper. I also fold up the front flaps of the jacket in order to sit on the bike comfortably. To accomplish this I unzip from the bottom to just below the waist adjustment and fold the excess flaps up and under. The tension from the waist belt helps keep it in place. I tried swapping out the TF3 elbow and shoulder armor for less bulky TF5 armor but found that the there was just too much fabric flapping around after the switch. The jacket is designed to accommodate the bulky armor so back it went!. A few negatives but not deal-breakers: the DarienLight material is so thin, that the outline of the velcro attachments points for the back pad on the inside are clearly noticeable on the outside. Those edges were the first to pick up dirt. I would like to see longer velcro strips on the arms for tighter elbow adjustments, since I would cinch them further if I had more velcro on which to attach the velcro straps. I didn't ride with the back protector last season, but will be ordering one for this season. I had one in the past when I sported a Roadcrafter jacket, and I felt more secure having that additional protection. The back protector will take up some of the extra room I have in the torso area. The jacket is pricey, but consider a jacket's importance to our safety and the dollars we have already invested in our bikes and other gear. (Posted on 2/8/15)

Best Jacket owned to date! Review by Bob 1811

I purchased the High Viz Darien Light jacket about a year ago. Having previously purchased other Aerostich products, including Darien pants and combat light boots, I had confidence in the quality and workmanship but was very concerned about the discomfort associated with a long break in period. To my surprise, the jacket was comfortable out of the box and was nice after one machine washing. I have worn the jacket in temps from the 90's (never used my vented jacket this summer) down to the 30's (with heated liner) and it has met my needs. I have ridden in torrential rainstorms and have remained completely dry, although the pockets filled with water; lesson learned, pockets aren't waterproof. Despite that I highly recommend the jacket. (Posted on 12/19/13)

For bikes of all types - including pedalReview by John

I use this jacket for commuting on my KTM 690 Duke occasionally, but most often on my bicycle.

Working the swing shift, the Hi-Vis Yellow makes the 10PM ride home less nerve-wracking. It has even stopped a SUV driver from pulling out of a parking lot into my path during the ride to work, although I was ready to stop if he didn't.

Unlined because I sweat heavily even with temps in the upper 40's while pedaling. On the Duke, the railroad shirt is heavy enough for comfort in the same temps.

I moved my Bohn back protector from my old Roadcrafter one-piece to the Darien Light, and my hip pads from the Roadcrafter to my Darien Light over-pants. Hopefully the crash protection will never be tested, but it's there just-in-case. It isn't cold enough to wear the gray over-pants on the bicycle. Living in central Arizona, blue jeans should be heavy enough this winter for bicycling.

I'm glad I bought the Darien Light jacket and pants.(Posted on 10/29/13)

Darien Light jacket built to lastReview by Rod

I scraped up my money and bought a black Darien Light jacket in 1999, and it's been the only jacket I've worn ever since for long cross-country trips and everyday wear. And I think it's still got a few years of life left in it. After 14 years there is some delamination of the material showing and a little wear and tear in places, but it still keeps me bone dry.

Over the years the good folks in Duluth have made some zipper and zipper pull repairs for me, but that's all it has needed, except for the occasional washing and recommended treatment.

The jacket has never leaked, even in spring and summer Midwest thunderstorms and downpours. In hot weather, opening the wrists, pits and back vents is like turning on air conditioning--as long as you're moving and the air is flowing through. When it's hot, hot... layering with a wet t-shirt or evap vest has helped--as long as you're moving.

There's no better jacket and I'm sure I'll buy a new one, if this one ever really wears out. (Posted on 6/14/13)

Darien Light - Perfect for AustraliaReview by Nigel from Perth

I just bought a Darien Light (jacket and pants) because my Darien "Heavy" (for want of another name - the 500 denier one) is really too hot for Australian summers, though, admittedly, great at other times.
I wish I had bought the Darien Light initially, as it is just perfect for all Australian conditions, especially with the Kanetsu liner for use in our only really cold places, the Alpine areas in Victoria and New South Wales.
I have used the "Darien heavy" since mid 2011 on some long trips around Australia in both winter (which is generally pretty mild in this part of the world) and summer (which is not mild, but pretty hot) though, as mentioned, the heavier weight Darien is too hot for comfort .
It accompanied me up the north of Western Australia in winter, and over to Sydney and back in summer, and has travelled about 40,000 km, though is still pretty stiff.
I floated the idea with Aerostich's marketing guys to put me on their advertised scheme of volunteers who will "run your Darien in for you", but they did not take me up on the offer.
But the Darien Light on the other hand is just the right weight and affords as much protection as I should ever need (fingers crossed) and is so much cooler, and also stows away in the panniers a lot more easily than the "Heavy".
I particularly like the quality of manufacture (superb) and all those useful pockets, as well as the all round comfort, especially around the neck.
This is a product that outperforms all the riding gear that I have ever had in the past.
I recommend the Darien Light to any Aussie who wants fantastic riding gear.(Posted on 2/5/13)

Just Between Us Girls...Review by Bobbie

...and ok, smaller frame guys. At 5'6" and 145, I ordered a Hi-Viz 38 as recommended by the most amazingly great sizers at Aerostich. Off the hanger, I looked like Carol Burnett in the Scarlett O'Hara skit with the curtain rod shoulders. The TF3 armor was enormous on me which made the high neck an issue. Matt tackled my problem by suggesting a trade-out of the TF3 with the TF5 armor of the Transit Jacket. I paid the difference and with mad skills, (ok, took me an hour), finally got all the TF5 pieces (pads and pad sleeves) put in the right places. Ahhh. (and I also have new-found respect for all those stichers who work with these fabrics!) Now the jacket fits and protects. As with all men's stuff, hip space isn't included, but you can size up a bit for that problem if you can deal with the shoulder/elbow pad sizing with this fix. I love my Roadcrafter Suit (size 40) and love this addition when I just want a shorter jaunt. The Hi-Viz makes me feel safer too. The adjustable Waist Belt works neat to make it look less like a straightjacket and a bit more feminine as long as you've accounted for the straightline zipper sizing for your hips. Love the magnets for holding the collar in place if you don't need it high & tight. Thanks to Aerostich for helping me work through the issues. Hopefully, one day, they will have some gear that is specifically built for a women's frame...its great gear! Hope this helps. (Posted on 11/7/12)

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All in-stock Aerostich products and RiderWearHouse Catalog items ordered before 2pm CST will be shipped within 2 business days. (If a specific size and color of Roadcrafter suit is not in inventory, we will notify you with an estimated delivery date. Production time varies.) All standard Aerostich items may be sent back for a refund, but the item(s) being returned must be in new condition.

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Gear: Fashion and Style vs. Equipment

There’s a lot of ‘noise’ in the rider-gear market space the Aerostich Darien jacket occupies, about how ‘new and improved’ similar jackets are. Other companies making these kinds of jackets restyle them and revise them every year or two, telling riders that if three zippers is good, six or seven zippers is better.

What all the ‘noise’ amounts to is fashion and style being presented in the guise of technology which supposedly is rapidly ever-advancing in this area. Except armored waterproof textile jackets are not the same kind of technology as computers, or even motorcycles. Seven zippers are not better than three, if only three are functionally needed. What counts is ease of use, durability, fit and function. The pioneering of this type of gear was done by us twenty and thirty years ago. (Combining lightweight breathable-waterproof highly abrasion-resistant synthetic fabrics, seam-sealing, ergonomically more useful vents and pockets, reflective materials and energy-absorbing foams and plastics.)

Since then, just like added decorative stitching on branded ‘designer’ jeans turns a pair of useful, comfortable and durable work pants like Levi’s 501’s into a fashion, all the noise about new tech in jackets like the Darien is mostly fashion BS masquerading as technological improvements. It’s not real.

Classic black leather ‘zipper’ biker jackets have been popular world-wide for many decades. There are versions at many price points and in some circles this jacket has become a fashion cliché having little to do with actually riding a motorcycle. But for many riders it remains a great equipment choice that has changed only very slightly over the years — because it works so well. You’ll find the original versions of these jackets at Langlitz, Shott and several other pioneering leather companies. Similarly, you’ll find the original British waxed cotton Belstaff and Barbour rider’s jackets and pants still being produced in their original patterns because they remain excellent functional rider’s gear.

The ‘latest-greatest’ is usually more style and fashion based, and original equipment is nearly always more utility-tool based. It does not change from year to year any more than Levi’s 501’s. Many riders are unlikely to admit they are buying ever-changing fashion and style when they believe they are getting some kind of improved technology, but that is a truth. None of the regularly restyled ‘teched-out’ sportswear for riders comes in as many closely-spaced sizes as the Darien does, and none is as functional and equipment-y as a Darien.

The Aerostich Darien is the original advanced technology breathable-waterproof impact-armored synthetic (nylon) textile rider’s gear, and just like the above-mentioned other examples of specialized rider’s clothing, it is similarly more equipment than fashion. For historical reasons.

Dariens are available ‘off-the-rack’ in eleven closely-spaced graded sizes and six colors. Complete repair service and several optional fit alterations insure years of superior service.

Lightweight Gear: General Protection Considerations

Naturally, you want any crash outcome with as little injury as possible. If your garment is destroyed in the process, fine. Like a spent car airbag or crumplable auto-body sacrifices itself. Many experienced riders feel it's better to have something lighter and more comfortably everyday-wearable, even if it means replacing or repairing the garment after experiencing a significant incident.

Aerostich lightweight gear is intended to provide ‘just enough’ for whatever kind of accident scenario can be reasonably foreseen. So there’s a double-layer seat on all suits and pants, and two layers everywhere else one might apply higher abrasion pressure during a spill. Beneath the elbow/shoulder/knee areas there’s also a curved plastic shell over the energy-absorbing impact material. All ‘light’ Aerostich gear also contain a hidden layer of tougher 500D Cordura, located just behind each armor section.

Still, ‘Lights’ are best for moderate speeds. Personally I am ok with them to about 65 mph, rationalizing I’d probably hit the pavement at less because of braking prior to crashing. For riders who spend a fair amount of time at 70 mph and above, which means a lot of freeway time, we still like 500D Cordura garments better. But also note we’ve received many reports about good outcomes after higher-speed crashes in 'Lights'…and zero reports they performed worse than expected. –Mr. Subjective, 2014

Darien Jackets: The Executive Summary

These days there are many other kinds of enduro and 'adventure' armored-synthetic-fiber textile jackets available at price levels from $100 to over $1,500. But the original Darien and Darien Light jackets preceded all of them, and inspired more than a few of the most popular specific models. Since the outset Darien's have been subject to continuous refinements and updates so today they still provide functional performance advantages and set real benchmarks for this type of gear.

Beyond all the specific materials and design details, three fundamental things distinguish Darien jackets from others in this product category:

No separate 'hanging' inner lining. This is a harder way to make an armored jacket, but the advantages are worth the extra effort. Without a lining the Darien wears cooler, flows air better and is lighter weight.

Suit-sized grading. Ten available sizes with a smaller size-to-size interval means you get a better fit you can feel. S, M, L, XL, XXL graded styles offer only five or six sizes covering the same range. And some Darien fit alterations like custom sleeve lengths are also available on special order. Normally all Dariens are sold from inventory in stock in standard graded sizes (38, 40, 42, etc..), and are fully returnable/exchangeable.

Made in USA.

Darien ‘Cutaway’ Hem Roll

The Darien is a ¾ length design – it’s just long enough to cover a suitcoat and is the perfect length for standing-on-the-pegs dual sporting and adventure riding. For all camping and other rugged outdoor activities, too. But sometimes it feels a little too long, especially if you ride a sport or sport touring bike with the classic lean-forward body position handlebars.

An easy solution for some riders is to roll/fold the jacket front hem up underneath the zipper. After a couple of times it becomes automatic. You don’t even think about it because it takes not even two seconds. Give it a try.